Alleviating urban poverty in a global city: new trends in upgrading Rio-de-Janeiro’s Favelas

In contrast to the “eradication and resettlement” approach of the 1960s and 1970s, and the implementation of isolated public-works projects in the 1980s, the 1990s in Rio have brought a comprehensive upgrading approach to the favelas. Such local innovations in Brazil began to emerge after the enactment of the 1988 Constitution that gave municipalities the power to formulate urban policies and laws at the local level. We examine the Favela–Bairro Program, in particular, highlighting its five central features: (1) projects designed to integrate favelas with planned neighborhoods (bairros), (2) urban redevelopment plans that embody a comprehensive approach, (3) an emphasis on coordination among municipal agencies, (4) utilization of a participatory approach, and (5) the use of private sector firms in executing public works projects.